The U.S. Coast Guard is considering the proper regulations of the transport of hydraulic fracturing wastewater along federal waterways, including the Ohio River.

Written by

Carrie Blackmore Smith
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Ohio River could soon be a thoroughfare for fracking waste, worrying residents in the Cincinnati region.

At the request of oil and gas firms, the U.S. Coast Guard, which regulates shipments on federally supervised waterways, including the Ohio River, has proposed allowing companies to ship wastewater created when extracting natural gas. A barge can carry up to 75 truckloads of waste, Coast Guard officials say.

The proposal has drawn more than 1,000 public comments, many demanding stiffer regulation than what is proposed. Many environmental experts, clean water groups, municipal ...